The Tyrant Can Trust No One - Wheelock’s Loci Antiqui No. 3

[LatinLanguageLearner]

Multos annos tyrannus Syracusanorum fuit Dionysius. Pulcherrimam urbem servitute oppressam tenuit. At bonis auctoribus cognoviumus eum fuisse hominem summae temperantiae in victu et in rebus gerendjs acrem et industrium, eudnem tamen malum et iniustum. Quare, omnibus viris bene veritatem quarentibus hunc videri miserrimum necesse est, nam nemimi credere. Itaque propter iniustam cupititatem dominatus quasi in carcerem ipse se incluserat. Quin etiam, ne tonsori collum committeret, filias suas artem tonsoriam docuit. Ita hae vorgines tondebant barbam et capillum patris. Et tamen ab his ipsis, cum iam essent adultae, ferrum removit, eisque imperavit ut carbonibus barbam et capillum sibi adurerent.

If someone can translate this id appreciate it. The problem I am having is that Wheelock seems to have altered these quotations so I cannot find a translation online.

Thank you.

 

[echidnas brown]

We won't do your translations for you. Why don't you give it a go and we can help you?

 

[Pacifica]

If you're having a lot of trouble with the passage, maybe take it one sentence at a time so that there isn't too much to explain in one go.

Also be careful about typos in the Latin text (I can see a few of them).

 

[LatinLanguageLearner]

Here is what I have constructed for the translation. Any feedback or corrections would be appreciated. I’m having trouble in particular with the phrase “ab his ipsis” in the last sentence. I cannot figure out how that fits in.

Thank you.

For many years, Dionysius was the tyrant of the Syracusans. He held that most beautiful city, having oppressed it with slavery. But we knew that, having been a creator of good things, he was a man of great self control in the modes of life, having arranged his affairs with sharpness and diligence, nevertheless, the same man was evil and unjust. Because, all men having searched well, it is necessary to have seen this very wretched truth. For nobody was daring to believe. Therefore, because of his unjust desire for power, he he has shut himself in as if he himself was in a prison. Moreover, he didn’t commit his neck to his barber, rather, he taught his own son the skill of hair cutting. Thus, these maidens were cutting the beard and hair of his father. Although they were now adults, he nevertheless removed the knife from them, and ordered them to singe his beard and hair for himself with glowing coal.

 

[Pacifica]

He held that most beautiful city, having oppressed it with slavery.

Opressam is predicative to tenuit: he kept the city oppressed.

we knew

Rather "we have learned" or "we know".

having been a creator of good things

Auctoribus is plural and here it means authorities or sources, in the sense of people from whom you learn something and by whose authority you support your claims.

Bonis isn't genitive. It agrees with auctoribus.

in the modes of life

Victu is singular. You can translate it as "his way of life".

having arranged his affairs with sharpness and diligence

I'm not sure whether you deliberately departed from the literal meaning there.

all men having searched well

Omnibus viris... quaerentibus is dative.

Quaerentibus is a present participle, not past.

You left out veritatem.

it is necessary to have seen this very wretched truth.

Hunc is masculine and refers to Dionysius, as does miserrimum.

Videri is a present passive infinitive, not a perfect active one.

For nobody was daring to believe.

Nemini is dative.

he he has shut himself in as if he himself was in a prison.

Incluserat is pluperfect.

In carcerem goes with incluserat; there's no "he was".

he didn’t commit his neck to his barber

That's OK if you deliberately adjusted the wording. But literally, you have a negative purpose clause there (introduced by ne).

his own son

Wrong gender and number.

Thus, these maidens were cutting the beard and hair of his father.

Their father (see above).

Although they were now adults,

Just "when they were adults" or "after they became adults". There's no concessive meaning.

I’m having trouble in particular with the phrase “ab his ipsis” in the last sentence.

Literally "from them themselves", i.e. even from them.

to singe his beard and hair for himself with glowing coal.

You don't need "for himself" as that's already rendered (non-literally) by "his". Latin says "to singe the beard and hair for him(self)"; English says "to singe his beard and hair". In other words, Latin tells you to whom the singeing of the beard and hair was done, whereas English prefers to tell you whose beard and hair it was.

 

[Pacifica]

Nemini is dative.

I forgot to say: "believe" is also not the right meaning in this context.

 

[LatinLanguageLearner]

Thanks a lot for this assistance, Pacifica. I appreciate it greatly.